Diplomatic sources indicated that the visit by the Prime Minister and a high-level delegation from the Thai government represents a good opportunity for the two countries to take their strengthened strategic partnership to a new, more practical and effective level.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangkok Pham Viet Hung highlighted the holding of the 4th Joint Cabinet Meeting, which, he said, demonstrates the strong interest and shared determination to advance bilateral relations. According to Hung, this is a rare bilateral cooperation mechanism in today’s world, and on this occasion the meeting will be co-chaired by Shinawatra and her Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh.
Meanwhile, Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya emphasized the special significance of the visit, which marks an important step toward enhancing the bilateral relationship and building a joint strategy focused on the prosperous development of the peoples of both nations. The Thai Prime Minister’s trip also comes at a key moment, amid an unstable international context and changes in geopolitics and geoeconomics, which call for stronger cooperation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), she said.
According to the diplomat, Shinawatra and Minh Chinh will discuss a wide range of issues in their talks, including security, with particular attention to cybersecurity and the fight against cybercrime. She also referred to the need to strengthen cooperation in protecting against digital threats that negatively affect confidence in e-commerce and the digital economy.
The leaders of the two nations also aim to boost bilateral trade, the ambassador said, noting that despite global challenges, trade between Vietnam and Thailand increased by six percent last year, reaching $20 billion.
Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner within ASEAN and the seventh largest globally, the diplomat emphasized, expressing optimism about the prospects for the bilateral relationship, particularly in increasing bilateral trade to $25 billion.
jrr/llp/jcm/mpm
